The case of Maulvi Tamizuddin Khan v. Governor General of Pakistan (PLD 1955 F.C. 240) is an important turning point in the legal history of Pakistan. At the time of this case, Pakistan was also facing the constitutional crisis.
In 1954, Governor General Ghulam Muhammad dissolved the Central Assembly, and Maulvi Tamizuddin Khan, the Speaker of the Assembly, approached the court against the dissolution. The final Federal Court ruling creates great impact in the constitutional history of Pakistan.
Key points:
| Case Title | Maulvi Tamiz-ud-Din Khan vs. Governor General of Pakistan (PLD 1955 FC 240) |
|---|---|
| Chief Justice | Muhammad Munir |
| Case Law ref. | PLD 1955 FC 240 |
| Judges on the Bench | 5 |
| Governor’s Power | Indian Act 1935, Section 223-A |
| Writ Petition Filed In | Chief Court of Sindh |
| Initial Decision | Chief Court of Sindh ruled in favor of Maulvi Tamiz-ud-Din |
| Appeal Filed | Appeal filed in the Federal Court |
| Final Decision | Federal Court ruled in favor of the Federation of Pakistan |
| Dissenting Opinion | Justice R. Cornelius (Dissenting opinion refers to disagreement among judges) |
| Types of Writs | – Writ of Mandamus (“we command”) |
| – Writ of Quo-Warranto (“under what authority do you hold this office”) |
Molvi Tameez ud din khan case TEST
Bench of the Federal Court:
Chief justice. Mohammad Munir
Justice. Mohammad Sharif
Justice. S.A.Reman
Justice. S.M.Akram
Justice. R.Cornelius
Warning: Please note that the story of Case law in Urdu is Just concept about this case law. If you have any suggestions or see any mistakes, please comment below.
Facts:
یہ کیس اصل گورنر جنرل کے اختیارات کی جنگ ہے ۔
اس کیس میں یہ ہوا کہ پاکستان کا (تیسرا)گورنر جنرل غلام محمد تھا ۔
اس کے پاس یہ اختیارات موجود تھا کہ وہ (انڈین ایکٹ 1935 کے سیکشن 223ـ اے) وزیراعظم اور آئین ساز اسمبلی (قومی اسمبلی )کو کسی بھی وقت ہٹا سکتا ہے ۔ اور اس نے ایسا ہی کرتے ہوئے اسوقت کے وزیراعظم ”خواجہ نظام الدین” کو ہٹا کر ” اپنے خیر خواہ ” محمد علی بوگرا” کو وزیراعظم نامزد کر دیا ۔
یہاں تک توکہانی سمپل ہے ۔ اب آگے والی گیم سمجھنے والی ہے ۔
گورنر جنرل نے اپنے چہیتے ” محمد علی بوگرا” کو وزیراعظم تو بنا دیا ۔ لیکن اس کے سر پر بھی تلوار لٹک رہی تھی کہ
گورنر جنرل کے پاس وزیراعظم کو ہٹانے کا جو سپیشل اختیار ہے ۔ کیوں نہ میں اسکو ختم کر دوں ۔
یوں ”محمد علی بوگرا” نے انڈین ایکٹ 1935 میں ترمیم کرتے ہوئے گورنرجنرل کے اس اختیار کو ختم کر دیا ۔
گورنر جنرل اس بات کا غصہ کر گیا ۔
(کہ یہ تو آستین کا سانپ نکلا ہے۔ اس نے میرے ہی اختیار کو ختم کر دیا ہے۔)
یوں گورنر کے پاس ایک اوراختیار آئین سازاسمبلی کو ختم کرنے کا تھا
جسکا ”وزیراعظم محمد علی بوگرا ” کو شک تھا کہ گورنر اپنا وہ اختیار استعمال نہیں کرے گا ۔
لیکن اس نے اپنے ِاس اختیار کا استعمال کرتے ہوئے آئین ساز اسمبلی(قومی اسمبلی) کو ہی گھر بھیج کر اپنی کابینہ تشکیل دے دی ۔
اس ٹائم آئین ساز اسمبلی کا صدر(سپیکر) مولوی تمیز الدین تھا ۔ اس نے
سندھ ہائیکورٹ میں ” رٹ” کر دی کہ(جج صاحب گورنر ساڈے نال زیادتی کیتی اے )
Sindh High Court Decision:
سندھ ہائیکورٹ نے گورنرجنرل کے اس اقدام کو غیر آئینی و غیر قانونی قرار دے دیا ۔
Appeal to Supreme Court:
ہائیکورٹ کے اس فیصلہ کے خلاف گورنر کی تشکیل کنندہ کابینہ نے سپریم کورٹ میں اپیل کردی
اس اپیل میں سپریم کورٹ نے ہائیکورٹ کے فیصلہ کو کالعدم قرار دیتے ہوئے ”گورنر جنرل ” کے اقدام کو قانونی قرار دے دیا ۔
Effect:
سپریم کورٹ کے اس فیصلہ کی وجہ سے گورنر جنرل کو جو پاورانڈین ایکٹ 1935 نے دی تھی کہ وہ وزیراعظم ، آئین ساز اسمبلی کو جب چاہے گھر بھیج دے ۔ اس پاور کو سپریم کورٹ نےدوبارہ آئینی وقانونی قرار دے دیا ۔
اس فیصلہ کی وجہ سے قانون ساز اسمبلی مضبوط نہ ہو سکی۔ یوں اس فیصلہ نے ملک میں آمریت کو فروغ دیا ۔
کہ اس ملک میں جس کے پاس جو پاور چاہے ٹھیک ہے یا غلط ہے اسکو استعمال کر سکتا ہے۔
Overview :
The legal system has a crucial role in explaining laws and shaping them. In Pakistan, higher courts make decisions that set examples for lower courts to follow. Many important legal cases have happened in Pakistan’s history, and one such case is “Molvi Tameez Ud Din v. Federation.” The Pakistani Prime Minister, Molvi Tameez Ud Din, filed a lawsuit when Gulam Muhammad, the Governor General, dissolved the assembly.Then Molvi Tameez Ud Din filed a formal request in the Chief Court of Sindh against the actions of the Governor General.
Dissolution of Constituent Assembly and Legal Action
1-Dissolution of Constituent Assembly:
In this legal case, the governor general of Pakistan made the decision to dissolve the constituent assembly on October 24, 1954. This dissolution occurred due to disagreements between the prime minister and the governor general.
2-Cabinet Dissolution and Reconstitution:
Before disbanding the constituent assembly led by Movi Tameer Ud Din, the governor general had previously dissolved the cabinet of Khwaja Nazim Ud Din in 1953. Following the dissolution of the constituent assembly, the council of ministers was reconstituted.
3-Molvi Tameez Ud Din’s Legal Action:
Molvi Tameez Ud Din, who held a prominent role in the constituent assembly, took legal action by submitting a writ petition before the chief court of Sindh. This petition was directed against the federal government under the leadership of Ghulam Muhammad.
A. Writ Petition:
A writ petition was filed by Molvi Tameez Ud Din in the Chief Court of Sindh in accordance with section 223-A of the Government of India Act 1935.
B. Multiple Writs Filed:
He filed two separate writ petitions to address his concerns: Writ of Mandamus and Writ of Quo Warranto.
Writ of Mandamus:
Molvi Tameez Ud Din filed a writ of mandamus to prevent the implementation of the governor general’s proclamation. He also requested that the federation and reconstituted council of ministers refrain from interfering with his responsibilities.
Writ of Quo Warranto:
Additionally, Molvi Tameez Ud Din submitted a writ of quo warranto, questioning the authority under which the ministers held their offices.
Government’s Arguments:
The federation and council of ministers presented their arguments in response to Molvi Tameez Ud Din’s writs.
(i) Validity of Assembly Dissolution:
They claimed that the dissolution of the constituent assembly was carried out correctly.
(ii) Jurisdiction of Chief Court:
They argued that the Chief Court of Sindh did not have the authority to consider the writ petition.
(iii) Section 223-A’s Legitimacy:
The federation further contended that Section 223-A of the Government of India Act 1935 was invalid, as it lacked the necessary approval of the governor general, crucial for the legitimacy of any law.
Chief Court of Sindh’s Ruling:
The Chief Court of Sindh declared the actions taken by Ghulam Muhammad null and void.
Federation’s Appeal to Federal Court:
Following this, the federation and council of ministers appealed to the federal court to challenge the Chief Court of Sindh’s decision.
Federal Court’s Decision;
(i) Importance of Governor General’s Approval:
The Federal Court noted that the constituent assembly acts as a legislative body, and all its enacted laws require the governor general’s approval. This law should also have obtained the governor general’s consent.
(ii) Status of Section 223-A:
The Federal Court deemed Section 223-A of the Government of India Act 1935 invalid since it lacked the governor general’s approval.
(iii) Jurisdiction Limitation:
The Federal Court further stated that Section 223-A was not a valid law, implying that the chief court lacked jurisdiction to decide on the writ petitions filed by Molvi Tameez Ud Din.
(iv) Constituent Assembly’s Authority:
Contrary to the Chief Court’s view, the Federal Court asserted that the constituent assembly did not possess sovereignty; instead, the governor general held sovereign authority.
Impact of the Decision:
As a result of this ruling, the Chief Court of Sindh’s decision was set aside due to the aforementioned reasons.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, while the Chief Court of Sindh initially favored Molvi Tameez Ud Din and deemed the actions of the governor general unlawful, the federation appealed to the Federal Court. Fortunately for the federation, the Federal Court ruled in its favor, overturning the Chief Court’s decision and establishing the authority of the governor general.
Read Also : The State vs Dosso Case
